Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Edward Paluch

Abstract

Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy, yet only 50% of all small business establishments survive beyond the first 5 years of operation. Survivability is a concern for small businesses owners, as the construction industry experiences the lowest survival rates compared to other sectors. Grounded in entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies small business owners in the construction industry used to sustain their businesses beyond the first 5 years of operation. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with six small business owners in the construction industry in central New Jersey. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, and five themes emerged: financial planning, meeting customer expectations, brand management, maintaining a competitive edge, and customer-centric culture. A key recommendation is for small business owners in the construction industry to have a dependable source of income to sustain their business operation, deliver quality work on time and within budget, and have decent product knowledge. The implications for positive social change include the potential to increase business profit, offer job opportunities that provide a better quality of life to employees, and increase sales and tax revenue contribution to local authorities to improve local community services.

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